Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian ex-official of the self-declared Nagorno Karabakh administration, was arrested and imprisoned along with other top Karabakh officials during Baku's recapture of Nagorno Karabakh in September 2023. On Thursday (3 October), Vardanyan's lawyers filed a lawsuit in Baku for alleged torture and denial of a speedy trial.
Azerbaijan, which will host COP29 in November, is already under scrutiny by the United States and the European Union for its human rights record, including the imprisonment of journalists and activists. Vardanyan's lawyers have also called on the authorities in Baku to release all Karabakh Armenian prisoners before COP29 begins. Azerbaijani officials have refused to comment on the lawsuits.
Source: commonspace.eu and Reuters with other agencies
